I loved both of Katarina's 94 programs, and I loved her Robin Hood costume. She looked great in that outfit and skated very well. I did not see it as a cross-dressing role so much as a female version of the Robin Hood legend. I'm glad she didn't choose to skate as Maid Marian.

Also, I don't think that music is cursed because KVDP used it and came in 5th in the LP in Moscow.

I for one liked Kat's Robin Hood costume. I think it was appropriate. I would really prefer ladies to dress like the character than wear plain dresses a la Vera Wang that all look alike.
BTW, I liked Robin Hood program as well

Btw - the pic of always the same costume I had in mind was not Kwan (that was only my second thought). I rather thought of those all-the-same female kitsch costume with raffles and sequines and rhinestones (?). It is so tiring to see dozens of little princesses which are already too old for the image.

Btw - the pic of always the same costume I had in mind was not Kwan (that was only my second thought). I rather thought of those all-the-same female kitsch costume with raffles and sequines and rhinestones (?). It is so tiring to see dozens of little princesses which are already too old for the image.

I agree with you in that some of the women skaters continue to wear the same kind of overly "kitschy" costumes with the ruffles, sequines, and other stuff. It's especialy disconcerting - to me at least - to see a skater in her mid 20s trying to look "cute" and "young". I'm not referring to any specific skater, but I've seen several women of this age group wearing costumes that should have been placed in their closets a decade ago. IMHO, of course.

I love to see a skater wear a costume that carries the theme of her, his, or their music! In his book, "Orser, A Skater's Life", Brian Orser wrote of working with his coaches and choreographers to achieve "the total concept" - in which the music, costume, and choreography were in harmony and in the same theme.

I watched my videotape of the 1994 Olympics - the one I made, not the highlight tape I purchased later - and it contains all of the women's short programs that were broadcast. Katarina Witt looked nervous before she took to the ice, but she skated one of the best short programs of her life. She really attacked her jumps, leaped high in the air for them, landed securely, and she interpreted the moves quite well, I thought. When she finished, she punched her fist in triumph. The cameras panned over to her parents and brother, who were in the stands. Her brother, particularly, clearly showed how much he wanted his sister to do well, and he was jumping up and down when she finished her program.
Mr. and Mrs. Witt were clearly thrilled at their daughter's performance. They were interviewed, and what a nice couple they were!!

I rather liked Katarina's Robin Hood program and thought her costume was great. She had been previously scorned by the judges for wearing too revealing costumes.

As for her technique, Katarina came from the old school of figure skating - discipline, line and edges. She was also a very fierce competitor and did not let her nerves get to her. She was not necessarily the nicest personna on ice, but her maturity and attention to detail came through when she skated. Katarina was ahead of Michelle Kwan in the fact that she stayed a competitor for a long time. Skaters never hung around in the competitve world as long as they do now. Katarina loved to compete. I think in this program her maturity showed through and she brought a different look and feel to her skating. That's the difference between a seasoned pro and a new kid on the block. Katarina finally came into her own. She paid her dues in the skating world and earned her rewards. She was probably one of the greatest female competitors ever.

I rather liked Katarina's Robin Hood program and thought her costume was great. She had been previously scorned by the judges for wearing too revealing costumes.

As for her technique, Katarina came from the old school of figure skating - discipline, line and edges. She was also a very fierce competitor and did not let her nerves get to her. She was not necessarily the nicest personna on ice, but her maturity and attention to detail came through when she skated. Katarina was ahead of Michelle Kwan in the fact that she stayed a competitor for a long time. Skaters never hung around in the competitve world as long as they do now. Katarina loved to compete. I think in this program her maturity showed through and she brought a different look and feel to her skating. That's the difference between a seasoned pro and a new kid on the block. Katarina finally came into her own. She paid her dues in the skating world and earned her rewards. She was probably one of the greatest female competitors ever.

Indeed. Katarina Witt was probably one of the most competitive women skaters in figure skating history. The lady loved to win! Her remaining in the competitive ranks after her first Olympic and World titles in 1984 was also, perhaps, influenced by the fact that she lived and competed for East Germany, a country that did not exactly promote glamour and showbiz. Any way about it, Kat skated a wonderful "Robin Hood" at the 1994 Olympics, in my opinion.

Wasn't Lillehammer the only time her parents got to see her compete internationally? I'm sure that had a lot to do with her desire to come back for one more Olympic experience.

I think the 1988 Worlds, which were held in Budapest, Hungary - then a communist country - were the first time that Katarina's parents were permitted to travel outside of East Germany to see their daughter compete. They were allowed, of course, because there wasn't the threat - whether or not that even existed - that they might try to defect to the West.